Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will commission research on the number of patients who have been adversely affected by hernia mesh operations.

In February 2018, the Government announced the establishment of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety (IMMDS) Review, led by Baroness Cumberlege. The Review is evaluating what happened in each of the cases of primodos, sodium valproate and surgical mesh, including whether the processes pursued to date have been sufficient and satisfactory. The Review will make recommendations for future change to the United Kingdom healthcare system which the Government will consider in full.

At this time, there is no specific intention to develop a separate national registry of patients who have received mesh hernia repair treatments. The Government remains committed to driving system and regulatory change where required in the interests of patient safety. Recent Parliamentary debates have considered the scope of the IMMDS Review and the wider issues of safety and innovation within medical devices regulation and their use.

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including hernia repair; it is not usual practice to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions.

The Government is committed to making additional improvements to the system of medical device regulation including in response to the IMMDS Safety Review once it has reported.